"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." - Eph 4

Burley as the base tobacco for the Latakia mixture instead of Virginia.
If you look at virtually all English/Scottish style Latakia mixtures they're comprised of Virginia, Latakia, and Orientals. Even their Cavendish, when it is present, is derived from Virginia. Burley's are used by the Brits to carry toppings, usually in a different blend style altogether. So it's rare to find white Burley in an English style Latakia mixture. If white Burley or Maryland is present at all it is usually in small amounts that improves the burn (some Orientals tend to inhibit burn ie the bowl goes out a lot). Whereas traditional American Latakia mixtures use white Burley as a base and Virginia is more a condiment tobacco. American Cavendish is almost never derived from Virginia, instead it comes from Burley or Kentucky fire cured. The rest are the same though the proportions may vary compared to English/Scottish style Latakia mixtures.

This goes beyond Latakia mixtures too. If you look at the most common cigarettes in Britain, Canada, Australia, etc (Commonwealth countries) they're straight Virginias. Whereas American cigarettes are usually a mixture of Burley, Virginia, and sometimes Oriental. Why is the Burley usually found in a mixture? White Burley by itself has lower flavour and more body than Virginia. It tends to have a very subdued nutty-oatmeal flavour and it takes a lot of Burley in a mixture to be noticed. So the other condiment constituents round out the mixture with more interesting flavour.

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What in God's Holy Name are you blathering about now, you melon-headed, socially inept windbag? What does that even mean? How was that even funny? Why are you allowed to own and use a computer or mobile device of any kind?

It's an American blend if the base leaf is Burley. Walnut, for example, is not only blended in America, but it also contains primarily Burley tobaccos with only a slight proportion of other things. Even if it does contain Turkish and Latakia, the primary component is still Burley, thus it is an American blend. It has nothing to do with the value judgement or perceived greatness of the blend. That's just stupid. Are you going to say that the only good tobacco is blended in America? I'm sure that there are a number of people who smoke and enjoy European blended tobacco who would take some issue with that, I can tell you.

Oh, great. Now he's going to sight this as an example of why he should be allowed to shoot his mouth off whenever he's feeling particularly lame. I can just hear Del now:

But Bloodhound said I was funny.

And you know what, I bet that your mom used to tell you that you were cool. If you truly believe in the legitimacy or democracy, you'll have to take the views of more than a single person into account.

Burley tobacco is as American as they come. As has been said, an American Blend, also known as an American English, is burley based. I don't know why, but they just don't work for me. I've recently begun smoking latakia again after at least a ten year hiatus and the secret ingredient necessary for my enjoyment seems to be brown Virginia Cavendish.

I like burley but it doesn't work for me with the tarry latakia. I like American burley blends like Pegasus, though.

Oh, great. Now he's going to sight this as an example of why he should be allowed to shoot his mouth off whenever he's feeling particularly lame. I can just hear Del now:

But Bloodhound said I was funny.

And you know what, I bet that your mom used to tell you that you were cool. If you truly believe in the legitimacy or democracy, you'll have to take the views of more than a single person into account.

Oh, great. Now he's going to sight this as an example of why he should be allowed to shoot his mouth off whenever he's feeling particularly lame. I can just hear Del now:

But Bloodhound said I was funny.

And you know what, I bet that your mom used to tell you that you were cool. If you truly believe in the legitimacy or democracy, you'll have to take the views of more than a single person into account.

Actually, my mother used to belittle me constantly. Very abusive, physically and emotionally.

Last edited by Del on Tue Jul 11, 2017 1:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

"Utter frogshit from start to finish." - Onyx

"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." - Eph 4

I concur with the previous posts. Burley is the foundation for American blends. I'd have to say that sweet additives would be a secondary characteristic since Burley doesn't have much sugar and overt taste on its own.

BTW, a friend's family has a business painting tobacco barns in Kentucky. The barns are all black from top to bottom. They use a special black, oil paint. These are huge barns on farms that grow acres and acres of Burley for the big tobacco companies. The big corporations are looking for consistency so they contract with these same large farms year in and year out. They don't want to source from many small farms. They'd rather source form fewer large farms. My friend showed me one farm that has been in the family since the 1830s, I believe.

"Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven" - Jesus

In my opinion, the defining characteristic of an American Burley blend is an excess of propylene glycol.

"Utter frogshit from start to finish." - Onyx

"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." - Eph 4

So far, my favorite blend is Aperitif. So I've been on the look out for English blends with cavendish. Now I guess I need to look for blends where VAs are used as a base. I have certainly learned a lot from this thread.

So far, my favorite blend is Aperitif. So I've been on the look out for English blends with cavendish. Now I guess I need to look for blends where VAs are used as a base. I have certainly learned a lot from this thread.

Well, Aperitif is one of them (Va is the base for the blend). If you look through the Dunhill standard tin mixtures (965, Durbar, EMP, London Mix, Std Mix, etc) they're all like this but they're certainly not duplicates of each other. GL Pease has a lot of these too that are very good. I used to smoke quite a bit of Standard Mixture, when Dunhill made it. Nowadays I prefer more of GLP's mixtures.

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I ordered an ounce of Walnut Match from P & C. Its listed on their site as an English blend, but listed on TobaccoReviews as an American blend. So, what makes an American blend?

Sorry to resurrect a long gone thread, but if you are looking for a good American style English I recommend Lane Ltd. Medal of Valor. I can't stop smoking this stuff lately. It's one of those kitchen sink blends, but the Burley and Latakia are probably the most predominant flavors. Very good Orientals are in it as well as a touch of Lerique. I've burned through a couple tins the past month. I think it's available in bulk, but am unsure if it's as good, as the tinned blend comes pretty dry already. Almost C&D dry.

I ordered an ounce of Walnut Match from P & C. Its listed on their site as an English blend, but listed on TobaccoReviews as an American blend. So, what makes an American blend?

Sorry to resurrect a long gone thread, but if you are looking for a good American style English I recommend Lane Ltd. Medal of Valor. I can't stop smoking this stuff lately. It's one of those kitchen sink blends, but the Burley and Latakia are probably the most predominant flavors. Very good Orientals are in it as well as a touch of Lerique. I've burned through a couple tins the past month. I think it's available in bulk, but am unsure if it's as good, as the tinned blend comes pretty dry already. Almost C&D dry.

While that one did slightly intrigue me I simply cannot smoke Latakia anymore.

I concur with the previous posts. Burley is the foundation for American blends. I'd have to say that sweet additives would be a secondary characteristic since Burley doesn't have much sugar and overt taste on its own.

BTW, a friend's family has a business painting tobacco barns in Kentucky. The barns are all black from top to bottom. They use a special black, oil paint. These are huge barns on farms that grow acres and acres of Burley for the big tobacco companies. The big corporations are looking for consistency so they contract with these same large farms year in and year out. They don't want to source from many small farms. They'd rather source form fewer large farms. My friend showed me one farm that has been in the family since the 1830s, I believe.

Interesting. Did he say why they paint them black?

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Pumpkin Ale is more American than apple pie! -Tuttle

When chaos manifests itself, what makes you think that anyone tame will be good for anything? -Jordan B. Peterson

I ordered an ounce of Walnut Match from P & C. Its listed on their site as an English blend, but listed on TobaccoReviews as an American blend. So, what makes an American blend?

Sorry to resurrect a long gone thread, but if you are looking for a good American style English I recommend Lane Ltd. Medal of Valor. I can't stop smoking this stuff lately. It's one of those kitchen sink blends, but the Burley and Latakia are probably the most predominant flavors. Very good Orientals are in it as well as a touch of Lerique. I've burned through a couple tins the past month. I think it's available in bulk, but am unsure if it's as good, as the tinned blend comes pretty dry already. Almost C&D dry.

Medal of what? I don't remember that one. So I check TR... this is gonna be good...

"Notes: A "re-make" of Medal of Honor although the components of MOH were Virginia, Mahalla, Dubec and Mountain Leaf Latakia."

LOL! A remake? Nope. This is a brand new blend. Medal of Honor was an English Latakia mix. And the man from KY is right; this is a different animal. 'Murican Latakia mixture. No remake here.

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I concur with the previous posts. Burley is the foundation for American blends. I'd have to say that sweet additives would be a secondary characteristic since Burley doesn't have much sugar and overt taste on its own.

BTW, a friend's family has a business painting tobacco barns in Kentucky. The barns are all black from top to bottom. They use a special black, oil paint. These are huge barns on farms that grow acres and acres of Burley for the big tobacco companies. The big corporations are looking for consistency so they contract with these same large farms year in and year out. They don't want to source from many small farms. They'd rather source form fewer large farms. My friend showed me one farm that has been in the family since the 1830s, I believe.

Interesting. Did he say why they paint them black?

Tobacco is the debbil.

Heat. It absorbs heat which means it costs less to heat it when air curing it. I think many farms will cover the barn in black plastic if they haven't painted it black.

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